Another system. I've taken the gate and immediately start d-scanning, two in local, one is in an Incursus. Where is it? In a belt. I immediately warp to the belt, point the Incursus and start my deadly dance. From my perspective at this point everything is on the line. I am exposed in local. I'm probably also being pointed by my target which means my own avenues of escape are narrow. I could be blobbed by his buddies. Ambushed by the cloaky Stratios in the belt with him. Or destroyed by the Abyssal mod fitted, drug induced, implant driven dual rep monster of an Incursus I have foolishly engaged. I have no idea how this engagement is going to go.
Except it doesn't go that way. The Incursus doesn't fire back, or point me, or engage in the dance of death at all. Instead it employs psychological warfare in the form of intense begging and pleading. "Please don't kill me!" Or another volley of, "This is my only ship." or some variation of real world words aimed at breaking my spirit. Suddenly I'm thrown head first out of the immersion that is Eve and into a mental evaluation of my own sense of morality. Of course I continue to pummel the Incursus until it explodes, but will I pod this pilot as well?
Begging for your life is nothing new in Eve of course. Certain pilots have employed the begging stance since the beginning of time. Often they will even name their ships something like, "No Fight" or, "Please No Kill" or something to that effect. As if I have time to not only find them, but also pay attention to the name of their ship. I don't. Mostly because I also often name my ships in ways to fool the locals into thinking it might be harmless, or stupid, or both. I can't allow the mere name of a ship to stop me. Begging is with us, no doubt about it.
And yes, we often share these moments in our Discord with each other. Or share stories about the time someone brought a large ship into Low Sec and then declared in local that they were just here to PvE and they shouldn't be bothered. Or the Russian player who taunted me a dozen times for being a coward, only to discover they had fitted WCS in ALL the lows. These tales can be epic. They can also be sad. Or weird to fathom. Isn't there a warning sign that pops up when you enter Low Sec? I believe there is.
Years ago, when I was first starting out in Eve my Son and I jumped from Piekura into Mara. We died so fast I'm still not entirely sure what happened. We laughed our asses off at how foolish we were and how dangerous Low Sec must be. My first dozen or so PvP engagements went much the same way. It's like playing College Football and then starting your first game in the Pros. Everything happens so fast. I get that it can be scary, sudden, and rather brutal.
I get that. I really do. Which is why I often spend time talking to or giving advice to my victims, when they are open to it. But I also have to admit that I don't like the sudden moral injection of decision that is being injected into my game. Suddenly I'm expected to judge a situation in real world terms that have no application to what is happening in-game. At the most basic level, every ship in Eve is destined to explode eventually. Eve wears its intentions on its sleeve. It is right there on the box. This game is deadly. I don't want to ruin anyone's game. I just want to play it at a high level and bring content to the wasteland that is Low Security space - or any space that I might be flying in at the moment.
A week or so ago I engaged a pilot in a Hawk. I was in my Astero. We fought for a long time and it was becoming obvious that neither of us would break the other. I suggested in local that we call it a draw and move on. He agreed. Good fights were given and we both warped away. I much prefer that sort of gentlemanly agreement.
If you really don't want to die in Eve there is only one way to ensure it doesn't happen. Don't undock.
Otherwise, there are dragons.
Be a dragon slayer.